Internal-combustion engine.



L. E. GIBSON.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. H. I915.

1 1 82,267 v Patented May 9, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

3% Llussom L. E. GIBSON.

INTERNAL COMBUSTIOYN'EN'GINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. n. 1915.

1,182,267. Patented May 9,1916.

2 SHEETS-'SHEET- 2.

3mm To'c QXMM e was L E Gmsom H c 31 1 ssian s*" W (De-WW jiSJvk/Lii.Gamma LAUREL E. GIBSON, F QLYDE, OHIO.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1916.

Application filed March 11, 1915. Serial No. 13,569.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LLAUREL E. GIBSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Clyde, in the county of Sandusky and State of Ohio, haveinvented'certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-CombustionEngines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to-certain mmew and useful improvementsininternal combustion engines and more particularly to a valveconstruction for a four cycle engine, the object of the invention beingto provide a device. of this character which embodies novel features ofconstruction whereby the valve is automatically and accurately timed inits movements so as to cause a smooth running of the engine.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a valve mechanism whichis strong and durable in its construction, which is positive in itsaction, which can be accurately timed so as to cause a smooth running ofthe engine, and which is not liable to break or get out of repair.

\Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists incertain. novel combinations and arangements of the parts as will morefully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereofbeing pointed out in the appended claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to thefollowing description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is avertical sectional view through a one cylinder engine embodying theprinciple of the invention, the piston being shown at the middle of theintake stroke. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the piston at the middleof the compression stroke. Fig. '3 is a similar view showing the .pistonat the midle of the power stroke. Fig. 4 is a similar View showing thepiston at the middle of the exhaust stroke. Fig. 5 is a detail view ofthe gearing between the crank shaft of the engine and the cam shaft.Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of the cam wheel and the lower end ofthe valve actuating plunger. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the cam wheel withthe cam groove divided into quadrants Wl'llCh are marked to designatethe position of the engine piston when the particular quadrants are inoperative position.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawing by the samereference, characters.

Specifically describing the present embodiment of the invention, thenumeral 1 designates an engine cylinder within which a piston 2 ismounted so as to reciprocate back and forth in the usual manner. Theconventional spark plug 3 is shown as applied to the cylinder head, andthe piston is connected bythe piston rod 1 to a crank shaft 5 which isjournaled within a crank case 6.

Arranged at one side of the engine cylinder 2 and having a spaced andparallel relation thereto is a valve cylinder 7 which communicates atits lower end with the crank case 6, the latter being extended to oneside for that purpose. Both the en-v gine cylinder 1 and valve cylinder7 may be surrounded by a suitable water jacket 8. A valve piston 9 15mounted to reciprocate within the valve cylinder 7 and has the basethereof pivotally connected at 10 to the upper end of a plunger 11 whichextends downwardly into the crank case 6 and engages a cam wheel C whichis keyed upon a cam shaft 12, said shaft being arranged substantiallyparallel to the crank shaft 5 of the engine and suitably journaled inthe crank case 6. Arranged within the valve cylinder 7 at the basethereof is a pair of transversely disposed anti-friction rollers 13which engage opposite sides of the plunger 11 so as to hold the sameagainst swinging movement. I

The upper end of the engine cylinder 1 is connected to one side of thevalve cylinder 7 by a port or passage 11 which is adapted to be closedor placed in communication with either the exhaust port 15 or the inletport 16. The ports 15 and 16 communicate with the valve cylinder 7 onthe opposite side thereof to the engine port 11 and the exhaust port 15is in substantial alinement with the engine port 11 while the inlet port16 is arranged below and parallel to the exhaust port 15. An exhaustpipe 17 is shown as communicating with the exhaust port 15, while a fuelsupply pipe 18 is shown asleading from the carbureter 19 to the inletpipe 16. i

The valve piston 9 is provided at the upper end thereof with a packingring 20 which is of sufficient-width to close and tightly seal theorifice of the engine port 14 when the valve piston is in the positionassumed during the compression and power strokes of the engine piston,as indicated by Figs. 2 and 3. Upon a continued downward movement of thevalve piston 9 the upper end thereof will uncover the opposed orificesof the engine port 14 and exhaust port 15 so that the two portscommunicate with each other and the burnt gases within the enginecylinder can be discharged through the exhaust pipe. This is theposition assumed by the valve piston during the exhaust stroke of theengine piston, and is illustrated by Fig. 4.

Extending transversely through the valve cylinder 9 is a diagonallydisposed passage 21 which is adapted to establish communication betweenthe engine port 14 and the intake port 16 when the valve piston 9 is atthe upper limit of its movement and the engine piston 2 is on the intakestroke, as illustrated by Fig. 1. The exhaust port 15 is then closed bythe valve piston 9.

The cam shaft 12 is geared to the crank shaft 5 of the engine so thatthe former makes one complete revolution for each two revolutions of thelatter. In the present instance the crank shaft 5 is shown as providedwith a pinion 22 which meshes with a pinion 23 upon the countershaft 24,the latter in turn meshing with a gear wheel 25 which is rigid with thecam shaft 12. The

cam wheel C is provided upon both sides thereof with correspondngannular cam grooves 26 whch receive rollers 27 journaled upon the armsof the bifurcated lower end 11 of the plunger 11. The cam grooves 26 aredivided as near as possible into quadrants which are broughtsuccessively into operative position for the various piston strokes ofeach cycle. The quadrant 26 is spaced the farthest from the cam shaft 12and is in operative position during the intake stroke of the enginecylinder, as indicated by Fig. 1, the piston valve 9 being then at theupper limit of its movement so that the diagonal passage 21 through thesame establishes communication between the engine port 14: and theintake port 16. The quadrant 26 next comes 1nto operative position andlowers the valve piston 9 so that the packing ring 20 at the upper endthereof closes the engine port 14 and exhaust port 15. This is thecompression stroke of the engine and the engine port is tightly sealed.The quadrant 26 which follows the quad rant 26 is a continuation of thelatter and is spaced the same distance from the'cain shaft 12 so thatthere is no change in the position of the valve piston 9. This thirdquadrant 26 comes into action during the power stroke of the enginepiston and holds quadrant 26 moves the valve piston 9 to its lower limitof movement so that the exhaust port 15 communicates with the engineport 14 through the top of the valve cylinder. This is the position ofthe valve piston during the exhaust stroke of the engine piston,

as illustrated by Fig. 4. The various quad-' rants of the annular camgrooves are all concentric and have the axis of the cam shaft 12 as acenter, and these quadrants are connected at their ends so as to producea quick shifting of the valve piston.

For the purpose of illustrating the principle of construction as clearlyas possible in its simplest form, the invention has been shown asembodied in a single cylinder engine, although it will be obvious thatit is equally well adapted to be embodied in multi-cylinder engines, andthat the proportions and various sizes of the parts can be varied asfound necessary.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

The combination with an engine cylinder providedwith a port and having apiston mounted therein, of a valve cylinder provided in one side thereofwith an engine port communicating with the port of the cylinder, and inthe opposite side thereof with an exhaust port and an intake port, oneof which is in alinement with the engine port, a valve piston mountedwithin the valve cylinder and adapted to uncover the engine port and theport in alinement therewitlr to establish communication between the twoports through the valve cylinder, said valve piston being formed with atransverse passage adapted to establish communication between the engineport and theother of the before mentioned ports at another position ofthe valve piston, a packing ring applied tq the end of the valve pistonand being of suflicient width to seal the ports in alinement witheachother at another position of the valve piston, and cam means drivenby the engine piston for automatically shifting the valve piston intoits proper consecutive positions during the operation of the engine.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LAUREL E. GIBSON.

Witnesses:

B. F. JAoKsoN, PERRY C. MILLER.

